Whiteside's Dodd

A short ascent on a damp-feeling Saturday morning.

Route: from the cottage taking the Boonbeck road to Scales and then west before turning south on an improving track. At High Swinside Farm briefly joining the road to diverge onto a path to ford Hope Beck and then continuing pathless through bracken to find the marked (on the map!) path, initially through wet bracken, heading upwards and leftwards to gain altitude. Before the saddle, T heading off to the right to pause (knackered, mapped) while L continued to the summit of Dodd (unmapped) taking a short cut down steeply through the heather on sheep tracks from the westerly cairn to meet T and then carrying on, pathless, to join a path slightly different from the outward ascent. After re-crossing Hope Beck, taking the road down to Hopebeck Farm and then the footpath across fields to Low Swinside and back to Boonbeck and home.

Conditions: cloudy and humid.

Pub: for T, later, meeting John Tilson and Matthew at the Dog and Gun, Keswick for Allendale Brewery Golden Plover and Theakstons Old Peculier (and, for them, the (meat and veggie) Hungarian goulash made to a 59-year-old recipe); for L, later, meeting Maddie at The Washington Hotel cafe for lattes, cake and birthday presents.

Cragged Head at sunset

A late-night 3-mile excursion to redeem a wasted evening (L only)

Route: Leaving the cottage to follow the road south and turn up the Boonbeck road to take the footpath across the fields towards Low Swinside. Sticking with the field edges (following a path beaten through long grass) and dodging anxious cows guarding young calves of all colours, crossing the track to the cottages and heading across fields just to the west past their gardens before turning southwest, through more fields of cows, to reach the Hopebeck Road. 

Turning left (north) on that road briefly before being distracted by the gate up to Cragged Head and a fine solitary view of the Vale at sunset. Carrying on down the field to the north of Newhouse Farm to join the main Loweswater Road and jog right (north) along it as far as Whitbeck Bridge. There taking the path across the field back to the Hopebeck Road and jogging back down that to the Church Lane crossroads. Turning right to walk home along the road past the school, shop and village hall.

Conditions: Still warm after a very hot sunny evening, with the occasional breeze

Pub? Elderflower cordial and milky coffee before bed (10.45pm, Tuesday night, no T!)

Brant Fell and Biskey Howe

A 3.5-mile stroll from Anthea’s house in Windermere (L only) to catch up 

Route: Heading up Oakthwaite Road to the T-junction and turning left along Thornbarrow Road, then right along Park Road, then left again to follow Lickbarrow Road up and over Lickbarrow. Heading on past Home Farm and Matson Ground Farm (and passing one of their horses in the lane). Regaining the road after a brief foray into meadows and then turning back off right, almost immediately, to take the clear footpath up onto the dramatic slabs of Brant Fell for huge views (albeit with low cloud). Descending along the line of the old cairned Victorian tourist route slowly (north) to the corner gate. Eventually crossing a tarmacked lane to walk up to the viewpoint on tiny Biskey Howe. From there heading south down to Biskey Howe Road in Bowness. At Lake Road crossing over to duck between buildings and reach Longlands Road passing the bowling greens. At the corner of Rayrigg Wood turning right to follow the track through the trees northeast, known at Sheriff’s Walk. Passing the almshouses at the end of Sheriff’s Walk to cross back over Lake Road and head up Queen’s Drive and Sunny Bank Road to break into the back of Anthea’s newly-landscaped back garden.

Conditions: Pleasantly warm with an occasional breeze but no sunshine

Pub? Just a fine cup of black tea on Anthea’s brand new terrace/balcony.

Lorton to Lord’s Seat

A 7-mile walk from the cottage up to Lord’s Seat for a long-awaited catch up with Ian W while he ‘bagged’ Graystones and Broom Fell

Route: From Midtown Cottages, setting off south along the road to turn left round Corner Cottage and head up the lane, cross Whinlatter and take the switchback track under High How. Walking round the How to track up to the wall corner behind and access the newly-churned contouring track round the base of Kirk Fell. Following this to bend round south, descending slightly to a crossroads of paths and turning up right to reach the summit, very slowly in very sticky conditions. Walking along the ridge to the crag that forms one of the subsidiary tops of Graystones and then walking down southeast and up to the true summit, before turning back up NNE to reach the edge of the ridge and head steeply down east to Widow Hause and follow along the edge of the felled plantation as the rain swept in. Climbing steeply up the narrow path to the unnamed summit west of Broom Fell, and on to the substantial cairn and shelter seat on the Fell itself. 

There bearing left, tentatively, in no visibility to follow round the edge of the escarpment to Lord’s Seat and suddenly some visibility towards Skiddaw. From the summit following the obvious path down towards Whinlatter, missing the very minor path heading down to the Aiken Beck forest track down to Spout Force but taking the next turn and eventually emerging at the top of the Gruffalo Trail, for a windy, steep descent to the car park and our lift from Tim.

Conditions: Very sticky and still to begin with, succeeded by heavy rain for the second third of the walk and then warm sunshine for the final third.

Pub? Cumbrian Ales Brewery American Invasion IPA back at the cottage with Tim. 

Lorton loop via High Rogerscale and High How

A 5-mile run from the cottage to earn a pint of Jarl at the Swan.

Route: Leaving the cottage to run south to High Mill and there taking the (dark and overgrown in early July) track bending south, west, south and west to join the Hopebeck Road. Running north to the bridge to take the path west across a field to the Loweswater Road and then running back north along the (busy) road to reach Low Lorton and cross the bridge. Turning right to run towards Rogerscale and then left up the first half kilometre of the Mosser Fell Road (walking between Low Bank Farm and High Bank Farm!). At High Bank Farm taking the lovely track going north, gently downhill between trees (muddy in places), to reach High Rogerscale and run back down the road to the bridge. Crossing the bridge again, turning left towards the pub and taking the footpath across the fields to and through the churchyard. 

There turning left along Church Lane as far as the first field past the Old Vicarage, running across that field (gates wide open) and turning right to run up Whinlatter as far as Hole Mire. Climbing the gate to the right of the house to cut the corner of the field and follow a newly-cut path through tall grass curving up to join the zigzag track up to High How. Joining the track to run down to the road again and then down past Tenter Cottage and back to Midtown. 

Conditions: Raining almost all the way, low cloud but also warm (17C).

Pub: The Swan, Cockermouth, for Fyne Ales Jarl (what else)